Adjustable dead-latching bolt mechanisms

Abstract

Latch mechanisms adapted to prevent unauthorized displacement of a latch bolt from an extended, locked position to a retracted, unlocked position. The latch mechanisms prevent the failure of a latch bolt of one latch mechanism to return to an extended lock position from interfering with the ability of a latch bolt of an inter-related latch mechanism from being able to return to an extended, locked position. Further embodiments provide a mounting bracket mounted to a door to allow the associated latch mechanism to be indirectly secured to the door. Additionally, the mounting bracket may have a plurality of mounting orifices that allow the mounting bracket to be used with a wide range of latch mechanisms, as well as provide adjustable attachment of the latch mechanism to the mounting bracket.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 105,312 filed on Jan. 20, 2015, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.BACKGROUND[0002]Exit devices, including vertical rod exit devices, often have a latch device that extends into, and out of, the top and bottom edges of a door. Typically, the latch device is configured to extend away from the door and into a mating recess in a door frame so as to provide a locking engagement that may maintain the door in a closed position. The latch device may also be connected to a push bar or trim by a rod or cable. When the door is to be displaced, the push bar or trim is displaced, which may cause the rod or cable to provide a pushing or pulling force that retracts the latch device from the mating recess in the adjacent structure.[0003]Operation of exit devices often requires that the latch device extend a sufficient distance into the ma...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention relates to apparatuses for displacing a rod between two positions. The apparatus includes a displacement rod with a protrusion and an aperture, a lever member with an abutment member and a foot portion, and a latch bolt with two latch slots. The lever member is pivotally coupled to the displacement rod, and the abutment member engages the protrusion to displace the lever member as the displacement rod is moved between the two positions. The latch bolt with the two latch slots is displaceable between an extended and retracted position. The apparatus is designed to facilitate easy and secure manipulation of the rod.

Problems solved by technology

When the door is to be displaced, the push bar or trim is displaced, which may cause the rod or cable to provide a pushing or pulling force that retracts the latch device from the mating recess in the adjacent structure.

Such changes, which may be due, for example, to door sag and general wear and tear on the door, may also alter the degree to which the latch device is to extend into the mating recess.

Yet, the actual degree of the extension of the latch device typically is not known until after the door has been hung to the door frame.

Thus, the degree that the latch device may be adjusted or trimmed is generally limited to the number and positioning of the holes in the housing.

Yet, reliance on the same axis for these adjustments may preclude the latch device from providing dead-latching capabilities.

Further, the absence of dead-latching capabilities may increase the opportunity for unauthorized displacement of the latch device and the resulting unauthorized unlocking of the exit device and / or displacement of the associated door to an open position.

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